Comments

The thing I see wron is Sarich got 2 for defending himself. The NHL needs to get the, you hit my guy, i’m going to come over and punch you, outta the game. I hate that when theres a clean hit someone must pay. Sarich did nothing wrong. Hall slipped and the rest is history. 59t

Posted by
T
on 03/17/12 at 01:23 AM ET

I believe the hit was to the head from Taylor Hall either losing an edge or his attempt to duck a hit he knew was coming. Reputation may yield a suspension or fine for Sarich.

No where near a charge. Principle point of contact to head was because he SLIPPED. KEEP YOUR FN HEAD UP.

Posted by
T
on 03/17/12 at 02:45 AM ET

His elbow was tucked against his body. The only reason his elbow hit his head was becaue Hall slipped. I’m a fan of neither team. Only way thats avoidable without Hall keeping his head up, is to take hitting outta the game. Then everyone can play and we can all hold hands.

Posted by
T
on 03/17/12 at 02:49 AM ET

Looks like Sarich put the effort in to make the elbow to the head the first point of contact, but I’m not an official decision maker.

Nonsense. Elbow’s position relative to Sarich’s body does not change for the last 5 feet or so, during which time Hall’s head drops a half a foot or more. Sarich is clean, here.

Why are we even discussing this hit? Can’t we just let some injuries be accidental or unfortunate and leave it at that? I’d rather have injuries in the game and have it be a physical game than creating rules against almost everything that can hurt a player. It’s hockey, there’s always going to be injuries, it’s not like the players doesn’t know that they always are at a risk. They wouldn’t play if they weren’t comfortable with that, so why aren’t you?

Posted by
xploddan
from Sverige on 03/17/12 at 06:13 AM ET

The only reason his elbow hit his head was becaue Hall slipped.

Similar to the Kronwall/Voracek hit. Going for a good hit, the opponent makes a last second change tha puts him in a vulnarable situation.

These discussions would be a lot easier if some people were to read all of rule 48 instead of just the part that makes everybody think that all contact to the head is a penalty.

There is no such thing as borderline charging. It’s either charging or it is not charging. If you have to say it’s borderline, then it’s not charging. That would be the only thing about that hit which would make it illegal and even the people who want Sarich punished can’t say with conviction that it’s what happened.

So let’s not bullshit, that was not charging.

Hitting people from the blindside is also not a penalty. You are allowed to hit a guy in the shoulder when he’s not looking. You’re not allowed to hit him in the numbers and you’re not allowed to plaster him into the boards, but there’s absolutely nothing in the rulebook which states explicitly that a guy has to be looking at you before you check him.

If you are telling me that the position of the check which was being set up did not change immediately prior to or simultaneously with the hit, then there is not a nice thing I can say about you in public. Taylor Hall slipped. That absolutely sucks for him. Sarich has his elbow tucked and is not leaning into the hit (which he would have been doing if he were aiming at Hall’s head from the easy-to-assume position that Hall wouldn’t fall down right before he hit him). I hope the kid isn’t seriously hurt.

Absolutely agree on this one, and I’m not sure it was elbow or the knee that hits Hall. Regardless, I’d like see whoever came after Sarich suspended for 2 games. He was going after him before the hit was even made, re-watch the replays. That is the kind of stuff that needs to be taken out of the game.

I see a big problem in the league now when every hit is scrutinzed as a sukspendable hit. Let’s get back to hockey and forget all the talk about suspending players for every bump. How many of the guys screaming for a suspension would be making the same claim if it was on a player from thier team. I don’t want the league to turn in to a no contact league. If that is what YOU want the go watch ringette.
It is a good thing Dave Branch is not the league or Sarich woulod get 8-10 games for it.
Really lets get back to hockey and forget this other crap.

Posted by
Mario
on 03/17/12 at 12:29 PM ET

Ice does the damage, not the elbow. Hall bails on the hit and the contact he does take in the bailing accelerates his head into the ice. If he had stood up, maybe he takes an illegal hit, maybe he doesn’t but the damage he does take is because of the way he reacted to Sarich, not because of the way Sarich throws the check. There’s nothing to discipline here.

But this play has absolutely nothing to do with the Kronwall hit on Voracek. Now that hit wasn’t illegal either, but because you can clock a guy in the head as long as you get the rest of him (which Kronwall did), not because Voracek does something unexpected. Not knowing a guy trying to exit the zone will have to eventually angle North would make Kronwall the dumbest person in the sport. If Sarich knows Hall will bail on the hit and his head will spike on the ice because of it, I want gambling advice.

Posted by
larry
from pitt on 03/17/12 at 03:27 PM ET

Uhhh, everyone, watch the play closely.
There was NO contact to the head by Sarich. His thigh pad contacted hall under/behind the shoulder.
It’s like everyone is taking crazy pills.